Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

The Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration is a generalist management programme for those who have post-graduation and relevant work experience on which the learning process should build. The main emphasis of the programme is to provide strong foundations in functional areas of management, leading to leadership through strategic management and financial strategy. While the academic level is masters, the practice-based teaching learning methodology offers a learning that aims to extend your professional practice of management.

As a holder of a postgraduate diploma you should be able to ground your new knowledge within the base of your professional experience. The learning journey integrates your current and past experience with the knowledge of management theories, concepts and techniques to enable you to apply these in the management situations you encounter in practice. You will be able to challenge preconceptions and remove subject and functional boundaries so as to handle complex situations holistically. You should also have particular strengths in analysing, synthesising and solving complex, unstructured business problems. In addition to being able to communicate your findings, you should have developed the skills to implement agreed solutions effectively and efficiently. You should therefore have strongly developed interpersonal skills and be able to interact effectively with a range of specialists.

Learning outcomes

The qualification provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:

Knowledge and understanding

You will be able to collect relevant information across a range of areas pertaining to a current situation, analyse that information and synthesise it into an appropriate form in order to evaluate situations and alternative courses of action that may be contemplated.

Within the broad framework of organisations, their external context and management, you will be able to use knowledge to analyse (e.g. by classifying, contrasting, discriminating, examining), to synthesise (e.g. by constructing, creating, formulating, hypothesising, negotiating, planning, validating) and to evaluate (e.g. by appraising, concluding, judging, measuring, prioritising, recommending) cases in the following topic areas:

the impact of contextual forces on organisations including legal systems; ethical, economic, environmental, social and technological change issues; international developments; corporate governance

markets and customers; the development and operation of markets for resources, goods and services; expectations of customers and equivalent stakeholders, service and orientation

the concepts, processes and institutions in the production and marketing of goods and/or services; the management of resources and operations

the financing of the business enterprise or other forms of organisations: sources, uses and management of finance; use of accounting for managerial and financial reporting applications

the management and development of people within organisations: organisational theory, behaviour, industrial/employee relations, human resource management, change management

the development of appropriate business policies and strategies within a changing context to meet stakeholder interests.

Key skills

perform everyday mathematical skills in relation to quantitative data, including using models of business situations; exercise basic qualitative research skills

use proficiently communication and information technology, including word-processing and spreadsheet software, messaging and conferencing, and the internet

communicate effectively, orally and in writing, using a range of media, including preparing and appraising business reports; including listening to, negotiating with and persuading and influencing others

exercise self-awareness and self-management, perform time management; exercise sensitivity to diversity in people and different situations; and continue learning

perform effectively within a team environment, and recognise and utilise other people’s contributions in group processes; perform team selection, delegation, development and management.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

You learn through two inter-related methods. First, using a range of specially-written study materials, case studies, original texts, study guides and assignments and through a range of multi-media material. Secondly, you are allocated a tutor who contacts you individually and arranges group sessions for all their students. This tutor is your first and main point of contact. The tutor answers queries on the materials, grades and comments on your work and arranges and runs tutorials, face to face or online.

Samples of tutors’ marking and comments are monitored by members of the central module team or experienced tutors who provide feedback to support and develop tutors’ assessment and grading of assignments.

Your assignments are usually summative, i.e. they count towards your module result. Modules may also include an end-of-module assignments or three-hour examination.

Evidence of key skills will be apparent in all TMAs and tutors will comment on the evidence of skills as well as on demonstrated levels of knowledge and understanding.

You are also encouraged to participate in online forums at both national and local levels. This gives you a chance to share and resolve issues with fellow students as well as tutors and the course team.

Formative assessment in the form of informal self-assessed questions allow you progressively to assess your own progress and understanding. Formal assessment of knowledge and understanding components of the programme is achieved by a series of tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) typically three for each 30-credit module. These assignments are marked and assessed by the module tutor. They are central to the teaching of the module since they allow you an opportunity to display your knowledge and understanding – and in consequence any issues concerning either – and so enable tutors to identify and comment on your knowledge and understanding. Tutors receive detailed marking guidance from the module team.

Cognitive skills in the programme are developed through a range of activities within the programme’s courses. Case studies and residential school activities allow students to engage with the issues around management and develop appropriate analysis, evaluation and problem-solving skills.

Skills associated with working with others in a group are developed at the residential schools, which are compulsory components of the compulsory modules within the diploma.

Students entering the programme are expected to have work experience in management. As such, you should already have gained some of these skills. The programme will however allow you to demonstrate and develop them further.

Evidence of practical and professional skills will be apparent in all TMAs and tutors will comment on the evidence of skills as well as on demonstrated levels of knowledge and understanding.